Plant-thinning machine.



2 sums-sum 1.

A TTORNE V.

v k. l I E Q I N m L2 3' Q U? Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

J. w, BRISGOE.

PLANT THINKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 26 1909 WITNESSES.-

-J. V's. BRISGOE.

. PLANT THINNING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION .IILED MAR. 2B, 1909.

Patented NOV. 29, 1910.

lNI LNTOR.

W7 ATTORNEY.

roazzenm concern:

fie: it knownthat "I, J oH Vi.- BRISCOE, a o'1hzen"of the UnitedStates, residing at Chattaiioo a, in the' county of Tillmanan'd' '5 "State" of klahp agha e invented certain -W i 31* ii fi i mp v ments in Plantm hin-es, 'o'fwhich the following is a spegification. v

' invention relates to improvements in plant thin ing machines. a

L-The'objectj of my invention is to provide ajmachiiie adapted for cutting weeds and for-thinning outplants which are disposed in rows.

15 My.inven tion particularly adapted for thinning the rows of cotton or beet plants.

.the preferi ed form of my invention, one or more rotary cutting-devices are employed, which are arranged to rotate in raftfof'lthe machine. I ()neof theno el features of my invention consists in arranging, the cutting devices so that the m'ay be shifted'parallel with the 25 whichfit is 'desire'd to leave standing, shall be missedbyithecutting devices;

Ailotherfnovel feat-ureof my invention comprises theradially adjustablecutting de- 3 lvices by means of which the cutting devices may o (erate equallyjas well on rows of plants; I g red, on ridges, in depressions, or i at the levelhlof thegeneral surface of the 1; und. x

ii gA f ther. nqvel feature ,of any invention consists gill tlie, yieldingly. mounted cutting 'device,; which I arran 'ement prevents injury case-the cutting device strikes av rock or other unyielding g substance. ment also servesilto prevent the cutting device entering the ground to any great depth. a Qthergnovelfeatures of my 'lIi'VGDtlQILtII'C hereinafter fully, described and claimed.

Inthejaccompany-ing dra wings illustrative dotted line -ef.-of Fi 3. =Fi g.;6 isa dross section on thedotted line gee-ll of Eigh Similar characters of reference denote .5 similar parts.

1 denotes a horizontal frame, which may.

Joninw, madcap;mammal KILL MA.

Specification '0: Letters-Patent.- Application filed mien 2c, 1909. Serial ubz4sa'ooa.

- provided at the forward end H v and at opposite sides of thecenter thereof, to which shaftso'r'a' tongue; not'sliown may f glan'es dispose'dztransversely to the line of line of, 'aftlof the machine so that plants This arrange;

of myhinver tion F igure ,1; is a side :elevzv cri ica sectiontaken the dottedgline of, Fig.- .15; "Fig.-- 3 iszya plan'vietv,; pa rtly-brokeu which is preferably provided with anfaitle rying wheels 3, which may alsojjservei s the cutting device or devices". lhe-fprward end of the frame -1 is preferably supported upon a single central carrying wheel 4 1pm which the frame 1 ispiv'otally mounted; For drawing the machine forward, a- 'suitable draft appliance may be 'employe' ,su'ch as a bracket 5', secured centrally'"tfojtheftir- Wardend of the frame l, and'pr'ovidedwith a hook 6 to which a doubletreefnotshown, may be attached. Two lugs' '7, ma falso'ibe die name be attached.- v n In the preferable form offih'y" invention,

two parallel'hori'zontal shafts S, are 'rotatively mounted in the frame 1',' at j opposite and disposed parallel withtthe" nefof draft of the machine. Upon" he sha'ftYS are mounted the cutting devices which'ar preferably arranged to rot planes which it is designed to bend-the chine is operated in the ma. H Ended-2 The cutting devices comprise preferably ,other, 191,1; bar

e mwasl a e by ;E a l is-pr f squa es Wh e portion offth e shaftsupportin saidwith longitudinal slots lhg in dially adjustable l the barsl. 10, Ihich; are pivbe of anydesired form or 'constructiofif'and 2 on-which-a're rotatively mounted,}two a'rtransversely to the line ofldra'ft so; pass transversely, through the from {of plants Otally ppo e ach spam tra s er 11 driving wheels-for impartingmovemehtflto sides respectively of the centerioffthe.fiaine,

flat blades 9, having'their cutti, {ed s distwo Ltp-QD each shaft 8,,the oil-each .shaftbeing dis o'sed ighta i'gles, to each l i al ated re ar h "1'05 Opposite en sof e l bar l ljflt hf yid retain the blades 9 and .bars 10 in operative rality of springs 16 are mounted two upon each bar 11 and are arranged to yieldingly position. Preferably, each spring 16 issecured at one end to the adjacent bar 10, the" other end being secured to a transverse pin 17, which may be mounted in one of the holes 15. The bars 10 and springs 16 may be radially adjustable relative to the axle of rotation of the bars 11 by changing the positions of the pins. 14 and 17 to different holes 15, in the bars 11. The. tension of each spring 16 is such that it will normally tend to swing. the adjacent bar 10 into alinement with the bar-11, to which the bar 10 is p vlimit the movement relatively of the bar 10 to its supporting bar 11'.

the plants, the blades 9 bein By reason of the bars 10 being yieldingly mounted on the bars 11 the resistance of the earth to the blades 9 wil'l permit said blades to enter the ground only to a certain depth. Furthermore, in case the blades 9 strike a hard or unyielding substance the springs 16 will yield and thus damage will be prevented to the machine.

From the above it will be seen that when the shaft-s 8 are rotated and the frame 1 is drawn parallel with the rows of plants and with the shafts 8 disposed above said rows the four blades 9-carried by eachshaft -8 will consecutively cut across the adjacent row of plants thereby-cutting out some of disposed radially in positions in which his result will be effected. The width of the blades 9 and the relative speed of rotation of the shafts 8 are such that as the frame 1 is drawn-forward, certain of the plants in the rows which are being thinnedwill be left standing at. distances suitable for the character, of the plants which are being operated upon.

Oftentimes it is desirable to leave uncut' some of the plants in a row, as for instance, in 'cases when some of the seed planted has failed to grow and the cuttlng of the standing plants by the ordinary operation of the would be cut and which it is desired to leave standing. 'To effect this result I preferably provide means for shifting the blades 9, tog ether with their supporting bars 10 and 11 in a direction parallel with the line of draft of the machine, which is parallel with the end to the frame '1.

squared portions of the shafts 8, are pro vided each'with two arms'l9, which are se cured to the rear one of the adjacent bars 11," as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and as shown also in Fig. 5. Secured to th'e rear end of each sleeve 18, is a collar 20. Rotatively mounted .on a cylindrical portion of the sleeve 1 8,

intermediate the collar 20 andthe arms 19,

is a collar 21, provided with diametrically opposite projections 22,- whi-ch are located respectively .in two longitudinal slots 23, provided respectively in two horizontal arms 24 of the bifurcated forward end ofa lever 25, pivoted by means of a vertical bolt. 26

' to-th frame 1 Two such levers 25 are provided, said levers being disposed respectively at opposite sides of the center of the machine, the rear ends ofthe lovers being located in a position convenient to support the .feet of the operator, who is supported upon a seat 27, located over the axle 2 intermediate'the, driving wheels? and mounted upon a bar 28, which inclines forwardly and. downwardly and is secured at its lower Two springs 29 respectively encirclethe shaft 8 and bear at their rear ends against-the frame 1 and at their forward ends against the sleeves 18 respectively. The tension of the springs 29 is such that the sleeves 18 will force the bars 11 forwardly to'a position in which the forward bars 11 will respectively strike collars 30, adjustable lengthwise on' the shafts 8, to which they may be rigidly secured in their adjusted positions by set screws 31. 0

When it is desired to rearwardly shift. either set of cutting blades 9, the adjacent lever 25 is forced rearwardly. at its forward end by the foot of the operator forcing forward the rear end ofsaid lever. By releasing the lever 25 .the adjacent spring 29 will restore the parts to their original position.

I will now describe the mechanism for transmitting rotation from the wheels 9 to the shaft 8 :-Rigidly secured're'spectively to the hubs of the wheels 3 are two bevel gear wheels 3:2, adapted to mesh respectively with two-bevel gear wheels 33, mounted respectively on the shafts 8, on which shafts said the purpose of being engaged and disen-. 'gaged fromfthe'gearfwheels 32.- In each shaft 8 is provided alongitudinal groovev in which is fitted a feather 34, mounted in a gear-wheels 33 are longitudinally slidable for groove provided in the adjacent gear wheel 33. In the hub of each gear wheel 33 is pro vided anannular peripheral groove 35 in which are located two diametrically opposite pins 36, mounted in a lever '37 pivoted at its .lower end to a bracket 38, wh ch is rigidly secured upon the axle 2. Two such brackets are provided at opposite ends of the axle 2 respectively. 1 Pivoted to the lever 37 adjacent to its-upper end, is abell crank lever 39,

which is connected bygmeaiis of a rod 40in shown in Fi s1 and 4'. with the upper end of a locking olt 4,1 which is slidably mounted in two'lugs 42 and 43,.provided on one side of the lever 37. I Intermediate the lugs 42 and 43 is a coil spring 44, the upper end of which bears against the lug and the lower end of which bears against a transverse pin 4 5,- mounted in th bolt- -:tl as, shown in Fig. 4. The lower end of the bolt 41 is adapted to alternately enter two notches 46,-1ocated in the upper edge, one in advance of the other, of an upwardly and forwardly extending arm 47, provided-on the bracket- 38. By properly swinging'tlie bell crank lever 39 the bolt 41 c. e released from the arm 47, thus perm'ittlng the lever 37 to be swung so as to engage or disengage the gear machine. two horizontal U-shaped guards or fenders 48, are secured to the opposite sides of the frame'rcspectively in positions respec tively embracing the two sets of cutting blades 9, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. A similar vertical U-shaped guard t9. may be'secured to the frame 1 intermediatethe levers 25 to eliminate danger of the operator being injured by the blades. Supported upon the frame 1. intermediate the two sets of cutting blades, is a vertical bar 50, provided in its upper end with an eye 51, adapted to re ceive therethrough the reins, not. shown, and

support them out of contact with the revolvthe driving wheels 3 is transmitted to the shafts 8 in the manner already described. The shafts 8 in rotating. will revolve the cutting blades 5), as described, and the cut ting blades in revolving will cut out. certain portions of the two rows. leaving uncut plants at. regular intervals. At any time the operator may. by swinging with his feet the levers 25 against the tension of the springs 29, shift the cutting blades relatively to the frame 1 so as to permit the blades to continue their rotation without cutting certain plants which it is desired to leave standing andwhioh otherwise would be cut by the regular operation of the machine.

If desired, the bracketsBS may be provided with horizontal openings adapted to receive the cylindrical rear ends of the shafts 8 respectively.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent 1. In aplant thinning machine, the 'com-, bination with a rotary shaft disposed. parallel with the line of draft, of driving means for rotating said shaft, a support rotative with said shaft and movable parallel with the line of draft, one or more cutting devices carried by .said support, means for'moving said s'u port parallel with saidshaft and a stop a justable lengthwise on andhaving means for beingrigidly secured to the shaft, for limiting the parallelmovenfent of said support.

2-. In a plant thinning machine, the combination with a rotary shaft, parallel with the line of draft, of means for rotating said shaft, one or more cutting-devices carried by and rotat-ive' with said sl'iaft, manually operated means for shifting said cutting devices in one direction parallel with said shaft, means for shifting said devic s in the opposite directionand a stop adjustable lengthwise on and having means for being rigidly secured to the shaft: for limiting the parallel movement of said devices.

3. In a plant thinning machine, the com binat'ion with driving means, of a shaft rotative tiereby and disposed para-llel with the line of draft, a support movable lengthwise on and rotative with said shaft, one or more cutting devices carried by said sup-- rigidly to said shaft, a spring for normally forcing the support against said stop, and

manually operated means for forcing the support in the opposite dlrectlon. L1

Intestnnony whereof I have signed my name to this s 'iecifical'ion in presence of two subscrilung witnesses.

JOHN W. BRISGOE.

Witnesses:

'E. B. House, .Toi-mnon K. PARSHALL. 

